History

The office of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas traces its origin to the medieval “Cleric”. They maintained the records, were responsible for correspondence and had various powers to issue writs or other processes ordered by the court.

In creating a state judicial system, the 1802 Ohio Constitution provided for the appointment of a Clerk of Courts for each county. The judges of the Common Pleas Court made the appointments for a 7-year term.

Under the 1851 Constitution, the office became elective for a 3-year term which was extended to 4 years in 1936. The official title is Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, but most often the officeholder is referred to as the Clerk of Courts.
Responsibilities
The duties mandated by the statutes of the Ohio revised code have grown tremendously over the years. The responsibilities of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas are now set forth in over 250 sections of the Ohio Revised Code.